Means for supporting four-in-hand neckties



M h 1950 c. H. WEST MEANS FOR SUPPORTING FOUR-IN-HAND NECKTIES FiledDec. 19, 1947 Charles h. West 1 INVENTOR.

BY 04d 3% Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING FOUR-IN-HAND NECKTIES 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a novel article of manufacture in the form of a four-inhand necktie accessory, the latter being adapted to serve in association with the usual hand tied knot and adjacent portions of the aprons in a manner to cause the knot to stay properly centered and to minimize the likelihood of derangement of the tied necktie in relation to the shirt collar.

It is a matter of common knowledge that hand tied knots in four-in-hand ties are constantly getting out of place, and take unsightly positions in relation to the collar folds and the neckband. For such reasons, all sorts of tie stays and collar holders have been provided to assist the discreet wearer in maintaining a tidy neck and well-balanced and uniformly supported necktie.

The present invention relates to a device which, specifically speaking, is likewise in the form of a simple and economical necktie stay, the same being possessed of structural features of refinement and distinction, which, collectively considered, go to make up a support which, it is believed, better fulfills the requirements of accessories in this line of endeavor.

Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a utility stay device for fourin-hand neckties, which is, generally speaking, cruciform in appearance, there being a plurality of fixedly mounted spurs or books on terminal portions of the coacting members, and there further being a spring-pressed sleeve carrying an additional spur or hook which coacts with the other three hooks in ap lying sufficient pressure on the latter to assist in holding them securelv anchored in place.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fi ure 1 is a front elevation of a utility stav and tie supporting device constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the manner in which the same, in dotted lines, is used.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of said staydevice.

Figure 3 is an edge elevation, that is a view of Figure 2, observing same in a direction from right to left or left to right, as the case may be.

Figure 4 is a view looking at the reverse side of the structure seen in Figure 2.

As before stated, the device is of rigid cruciform construction and comprises a relatively long rectilinearly straight primary member, this being a simple rod and being divided into upper and lower half-portions 6 and I, by a cross-piece or cross-member 8. The terminal ends of the cross-member are flattened and are of general wedge-shaped form as at 9, and are provided with coacting and out-pointing hooks or spurs I 8. The end of the member, the portion 5 thereof, which constitutes the primary part, is also flattened and of general dovetail or wedgeshaped form, as at H, and this, too, is provided with a pointed hook or spur l2. The opposite end of the primary member is provided with a head 13 against which a sleeve M is pressed by a coiled spring l5. The coiled spring surrounds the portion 1 and bears at one end against the sleeve and at the opposite end against the crossmember 8. The spring-pressed and slidable sleeve is provided with a pointed hook or spur 56, which occupies a position on the side of the device opposite to the aforementioned hooks l0 and I2. The sleeve is also provided with an appropriate finger-grip H, which facilitates the step of sliding the sleeve up, engaging the hook it with the tie and then, releasing the sleeve so that the spring will press the hook home.

In practice. the device is applied ap roximately as shown pictoriallv in Figure 1. Here, the unper end portion of the main member is situated in the lower tapering windings of the knot of the tie and the hook I2 is anchored in the fabric of the tie, in a convenient manner. The hooks I9 are engaged in overlying portions of the fabric of the tie, say the outer apron of the tie. In addition, the sleeve I4 is operated to put the same under tension and then. the hook I6 is released and the spring exerts sufiicient pressure against the sleeve and hook to hold the hook anchored. Also, this puts the entire device somewhat under tension, and tends to anchor the other hooks Ill and I2 and to prevent displacement of the device. The spring-pressed sleeve with its finger-grip and hook forms a sort of a manually operable latch.

With the cross-member 8 and its hooks spreading the tie and holding same fiat, and with the primary member (parts 6 and 1) perpendicularly arranged and anchored, it is evident that the knot is centralized in relation to the aprons and also properly situated in relation to the collar and affords the user the necessary balance to insure for neatness and to prevent the knot from taking on an untidy and slipshod angle.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having. described the invention what is claimed as new is:

In a necktie knot shape sustaining, apron spreader and stay device of the class shown and described, a rigid rectilinearly straight bar memher having its upper end flattened and of dovetail-shaped form and provided with a hook shaped spur, the opposite end of said member having a head, a complemental cross member rigidly secured intermediate its ends to an intermediate portion of the first named member, the outer ends of said cross member being flattened and of dovetail-shaped form and provided with coacting spurs, there being three such spurs, all spurs being rigidly mounted and disposed on the same side of said device, a coiled spring surrounding an end portion of said first named member and bearing at one end against said cross member, a sleeve slidable on said first named member and resting normally against said head, said coiled spring bearing at its remaining end against said sleeve, a finger grip rigid on said sleeve and disposed on the side of the device which presents said spurs for use, and a fourth spur, the latter being rigidly mounted on said sleeve and disposed diametrically opposite to said finger grip.

CHARLES H. WEST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,070,264 Kokernot Aug. 12, 1913 1,464,577 Matchett Aug. 14, 1923 1,991,561 Krantz Feb. 19, 1935 2,066,636 Manaster Jan. 5, 1937 2,131,311 Cirelli Sept. 27, 1938 2,430,021 Johnson Nov. 5, 1947 2,430,943 Nelson Nov. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,663 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1887 12,389 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1915 

